The Legend of Zelda: The Gate Below
by Ballroom Soviet
Summary: After accidently slicing Saria in two, young Link vows revenge on the Deku tree. OoT inspired.
1. Chapter 1: Fairytale

**Chapter 1: Fairytale**

"Wake up…Wake up and listen."

Link peeled open his eyes slowly.

"Who said that?" His naïve, young tone was only heard as a whisper within the little but on top of a tree. He called it his home.

"You're too young. You don't live by yourself, do you?"

Link started to get afraid. Where was this voice coming from, he thought.

It was too dark to clearly see anything out a nightly landscape from his safe viewpoint; the carved window from his hut.

All that was really noticeable was a small bouncing light that shed a cold glow.

"Hello?" Link started to approach the fairy.

"What's your name?" The fairy asked.

Link was now certain that the voice was coming from the small hovering light. Link didn't answer the question. Instead, he slowly reached for his little sword.

"Do you think I'm some kind of bug? Put that down!"

"Then what are you?" Link asked.

The fairy saw this as her window of opportunity.

"My name is Navi. I lost my way in the forest and was looking for someone…someone older than you to help me find my way."

"Hey!" Link got offended and especially hated being considered too young, "I'm stronger than I look!"

Navi started to laugh and it gave Link an uneasy chill.

"Okay, good." Navi started hovering around his room, "So can you help me then?"

"Yeah I can." Link started to buckle on his shield on the back and his on his boots.

"Aren't you scared little boy?" You usually walk around in the forest at night?" Navi asked, her voice not clear.

"No and I'm not a little boy." Link's attention now was to prove to this fairy something about himself.

He stuck his foot out to get on the ladder and down the tree.

"Link! Hey Link!" It was Saria's voice from the window of her hut; the tree next to his, "Where are you going? I heard you talking to someone."

"It's this fairy." Link turned his head, but Navi was now out of sight.

"What fairy?" Saria giggled, "You're making this up. Okay, I'll see you in the morning.

Cold sweat.

Where had this fairy disappeared to?

"…stupid fairy…" Link turned his head.

A little light wandered off past a few trees.

"There it is." Link went off, now in a chase through the forest.

"You have to keep up." The fairy said, with Link behind, running, almost out of breath.

"Hey! I thought you're lost. Where are you going?"

The fairy eventually stopped, but it was after at least 10 minutes of running.

"Okay, now you can help me find the way." The fairy was clearly playing with him.

Link didn't see this though.

"I don't know where we are now." Link said, catching his breath and looking around.

"Are you saying you're lost?"

Link made a face, "Yeah, I guess so…where do you need to get to anyway?"

Navi told him, "Have you ever heard of the Deku tree?"

"I don't know…I don't think so."

Navi laughed, "You're such a little kid."

Link was tired of the fairy, "Okay, I'm going to find my way back. You can go find that tree yourself."

"It's not just a tree stupid boy," The bubble of light hovered to him, "It's the Deku tree."

"Link!"

A voice further ahead called for him. It was clearly a girl's.

Through those bushes and trees, something is wrong, Link thought.

_Shing_

The sound of his sword echoed and right after came his footsteps, running through the grass.

"Ah!" Link fell backwards after colliding with what at first was a wooden figure.

"Attack it!" The fairy sand by his ears.

The slice sounded like chopping wood but he saw nothing in the dark and shadow cast by the trees.

As the moon spat its rays, revelation was made in the light.

"Saria?" Link turned blue.

It was Saria but her body was preserved in a wooden form. Her head now separate from her body.

"What did I do?"

"Hey! Hey! Look at me!" The fairy tried getting his attention.

Link's mind was already somewhere else.

"Hey!" The fairy hit him in the face, "Do you want to save your friend?"

That got his attention.

"You can do that?" Link wiped his eyes, "Okay."

The fairy went ahead of him, deeper in the forest.

"Now." Navi stopped, "Look…the Deku tree…"

Link approached this tree but found nothing special about it.

And then the tree's eyes began to open.

The mouth opened as well.

The tree's vines pounced out of the ground and grabbed Link by the feet, bring him towards the large tree's mouth.

"You tricked me!" Link managed to get one foot out and sliced Navi in half.

The fairy's light went out like a burnt candle and its feathers divided, blowing away with the wind.

"Little forest boy." The Deku tree spoke, "I am hungry.

"Stop!" He pleaded.

"Be quiet little boy. Close your eyes." The tree's teeth shined.

Link was now suspended a dozen feet to the sky and below the wide open mouth of the Deku tree.


	2. Chapter 2: The Dialogue

**Chapter 2: The Dialogue **

The smell of rot and decay spewed out of the Deku tree's mouth.

"You've killed my fairy young boy." The Deku tree's voice was loud and deep, "She is what brings me food to eat."

Link turned pale and his body almost frozen.

"Well?" The Deku tree wasn't angered but amused, "What do you suggest I do with you?"

The vines brought Link closer to the tree's mouth.

"Speak!" His voice came with a wind that would have blown Link away if he wasn't held by the vines of the tree that acted more like arms. "Do you want to end up like you friend?"

He must have been talking about Saria.

"No." Link finally spoke.

The tree squinted one eye and thought for awhile, as it held the boy in the air.

"What can you offer me then? Hm, I'm sure you don't carry jewelry. Maybe you have other friends I can eat?"

"I do, I do." Link made his plan, "If you can just let me go, I'll bring the kids of the forest for you."

The tree began to laugh, "And how do I know you won't just run away and not bring me anything?

"I promise."

The tree laughed again, "You must think I'm stupid. Stupid like your little tasty friends."

Link constructed a way out of this. He knew the Deku tree wouldn't be satisfied eating just him. He continued to describe how many friends he had, how big some of them were, and even how easily he could get them to the tree.

"Hmm," The tree, in a raspy tone, thought, "You've convinced me forest boy. I don't want to go hungry tonight, remember that."

Link was released but chose not to run away immediately just yet. Running through the bushes and stumbling over rocks, he made it back to the small village in the forest.

He shook his head. Even though he managed that escape, there was nothing to be proud of. He felt like crying, but ended up vomiting.

The light from the fairies were all around the villages. They always were. Their slow swift in the air along with a gentle whooshing sound only added beauty. After the encounter of that night, Link couldn't trust them. He couldn't trust their whispers to the clueless children.

"Hey Link." One of the kids came out of a hut and into the cold and dark pavement, "You didn't see my brother along your way, did you?"

Link only became silent with his mouth unknowingly open.

The child stretched his arms, another restless night, and then continued to talk to the little green hooded boy, "Link…Hey, did you listen? Because my brother, like not too long ago followed a fairy out of the house."

"I have to do something." Link shook his head and looked down, "Something's up."

Link pulled out his sword and turned to the scatter of trees, the Lost Woods.

"What?"

"Just bring a sword and run with me." Link commanded.

"Uh, but I don't have a sword."

He made a face, "Bring a knife then."

The kid scratched his head, "Well…I have a stick…"

"Gah," Link started to run, "Bring that then!"

Their jogging footsteps on the grass was no louder then the night wind. And the trail to the Deku tree was made easy since all Link and the other boy had to do was follow the direction of the fairies, the small circles in the air.

"Good…" The loud familiar voice spoke, "You came back."

They noticed the tree spat a seed from its mouth.

"That made a good snack." The tree's eyes directed to them, "Come closer."

They stood still, holding the sword and the other holding a stick, shaking.

Before Link even turned his head to talk to the forest boy, the coward was off running away in the distance.

"Oh…" The Deku tree had that humored tone again, "I understand now. So let me just tell you. Your little dagger is nothing and can do nothing to me."

Link wanted to talk back, but couldn't towards someone that had a mouth bigger than him entirely.

The tree snatched one of his foot with a vine, slowly pulling and dragging on the grass.

"You can't be the hero today." The tree laughed.

Link, still dragged and on the ground managed to cut loose, fumbling his way out of the forest.

The Deku tree made a final threat before Link left. He heard him from the distance.

"Where ever you go, forest boy, you won't be safe. So go hide. Go hide"


	3. Chapter 3: Yellow Eyes

Chapter 3: Yellow Eyes

Link left the forest at dusk. No one at the village there could fall asleep. The little story spread itself around. Link didn't want to stay.

After crossing a small wooden bridge, it was not hard to look back.

"You, little boy." A deep but different voice spoke.

It can be one of the trees here, Link thought.

"Up, look up." It was an owl, "You silly little piss! What are you doing so far from the village? Do you have any idea what's past me?"

He shook his head.

"Hyrule field. A field so big, your little feet can't get you anywhere."

The owl got in front of Link, standing tall, more than double his size. Naturally, Link slowly reached for his weapon.

"And where is it you are going, huh?" The owl asked.

"It's not important."

"Ha!" The owl replied, "I can tell just by looking at you."

His yellow eyes now in front of Link's.

"You have no idea, do you. Tisk tisk." The owl circled around, walking like a person, "I could let you go so I can watch you just get lost."

"I won't get lost." Link tried ignoring him and continue walking into the field.

"Then where are you going?" The owl was more nosy than curious, "I might as well help you."

"Okay, you're right. I don't know where I'm going. I'll just know where I want to go when I get to wherever that is." Link thought he was clever.

"You know, that was really stupid." The owl got in his way, "You're too little to be off and about like this."

Link frowned.

But he continued, "And you're too weak."

"Then I'm going somewhere to get big and strong."

"Ah," The owl walked with him, "Then I can help you. Those mountains over there lives some of the most strongest I've seen. Gorons. Have you heard of them?"

"No."

"Of course not." The owl dug in his feather, took out a bottle, and drank it down, "Ooof course not."

Link's impatience was understandable, "So are you going to tell me or waste my time."

"No." The owl turned around, "Jump on. I'll take you there."

Link made a face.

Trust the owl or trust himself without any help.

Coasting through the air, the village in the forest was the only home Link had. Higher up now, he could see that there was a lot more than just the forest, a lot more than just the Deku tree.

His eyebrow lowered at the first thought of the Deku tree.

"Let's just see where the drunk owl takes me." Link thought.

Below another village, they continued to soar at the moment when the sun came out. It may not seem important, but the difference in night and day through Link's experience was different. Night was evil's shade. Day was the breather. Especially morning, going outside to stretch; morning was evil's hangover.

This village below the soaring owl and Link consisted mainly adults, loose chickens running freely, a water well.

From his viewpoint, the scales of the red roofing; the tiles from the houses.

But they flew past the village.

Link wanted to tell the owl to stop and just drop him off at the village. He needed people more normal to help him, to comfort him; not a talking, drinking owl.

But he didn't.

Closer they got to the mountain, but not yet to the top.

The owl made the landing below a cave that was near a pathway. Link got up and noticed that the pathway lead up. A stairway on a mountain leading up…somewhere.

"Where are the Goron people?"

"They live inside the mountain."

"…That's weird."

Up the pathway, the sound of some sort of living people was heard eventually.

This was the 'the Goron city', an entire city inside mountains.

No guards stood near it, just like his unprotected village. The only different was a giant door.

"Well…" The owl turned to Link, "Open the door. You have hands. I don't."

Link shoved his fingered in the middle of the doors, pulled and pushed, and nothing happened.

"It's won't…" Link spoke to soon, but it wasn't him that opened a door.

Link didn't know what he was looking at. These Gorons where some of kind of rock people.

His tour of the city brought questions and curiosity.

The owl stood behind talking to one of the Gorons, and at the same time watching Link. Link was just staring.

"How can these people take baths in fire and lave?"

"Try punching me." A random Goron came up to Link's face.

"Uh…" Link didn't know what to say. "No thanks."

"No, seriously. Do it." The Goron was being cocky, "I bet you won't even hurt me. Hahah."

Link went for a punch and ended up just hurting himself.

"Haha, see. I told you." The Goron walked away.

"…dumbass." Link controlled himself fine, not letting his hand get too close to his sword.

"There!" One of the Gorons from far away pointed and said from across the side of a wooden bridge near Link, "That's one of the forest kids!"

Before Link could even make a weird face, he was grabbed by two Gorons by the arms.

"Forest kids can't be trusted."

"They worship the trees and the evil wind!" One Goron said, "We don't need some curse in our city."

"I don't worship trees." Link made his voice hearable, "I escaped one that almost ate me. And I swear, I don't worship any tree."

They let him talk.


	4. Chapter 4: Fire & Stone

**Chapter 4: Fire and Stone**

"I don't worship trees." Link said under his breath among the giants of rock.

"Now brother Gorons," The owl defended Link, "This forest boy left his home under his own will."

Link didn't know how this drunken owl was going to keep him alive with these angry creatures. But the Gorons seemed to have some unusual respect for this owl, the way anyone would for someone older than them.

"Now, little boy," the owl pet Link's head, "Go ahead to tell them…That you came here to get stronger."

One Goron in particular with a light brown beard and hair lowered his head to talk to Link.

He said, "And why is it you want to be stronger forest boy? Your home and the whole forest you live in is a peaceful place."

"It's not." Link started to explain. He told them the story about the Deku tree, and how fairies lead the children to be eaten.

The Gorons faces turned angry and some were also intoxicated.

"You poor boy."

"Let's help him out!"

The bearded Goron hushed the crowd down, "What is your name?"

"Link sir."

"Gorons, listen!" The man seemed to be the leader, "Which one of you knows the secret route to the forest…to this evil Deku tree?"

No one answered until Link raised his hand.

"Good! You'll lead the way, forest boy. We'll assist this revenge of yours…"

Link was a well treated guest that whole day, being fed, given drinks, and exercised with the Goron creatures for the battle they planned the same night.

After the sun set, and the forest was on the horizon in front of them, Link got on one of their backs to point the way as an army of Gorons followed, running with their torches.

Left and right, there were a couple of turns Link remembered to take. He noticed the fairies around became afraid and started running away. The Gorons were still eager to fight this fight, much like a drunken crowd assisting a hurt friend.

"Deku tree!" Link yelled.

The eyes of the tree opened but only frightened a few of the Gorons. The rest of them kept their ground and their fire at hand.

The Deku tree saw this army of Gorons from the mountains and became unhappy.

"I shouldn't have let you go, little boy." The Deku tree said. "You brought me these…things that don't look very tasty."

"You are less of a tree…" Said one of the Gorons, "And more of a weed that needs to be plucked out."

One vine immediately smacked about 5 of them a few feet in the air. The other Gorons started chucking their torches at the tree. Others joined and the fire began to spread. The tree started growling and smoke was everywhere. The fire got so large in fact, the other trees and bushes near it caught on fire too.

Link's face, in the glow of the fire shed a smile with eye brows sliding down. The Deku tree saw this and knew he was beaten by the army this forest boy brought.

Link didn't let that smile of his go away, the fire reflecting off on his eyes that stared the tree down. The Gorons made their war cry and raised their hands in victory, marching out as the fire got too large to stay.


End file.
